Jubilating over Orange Julep in Montreal

Posted on September 16th, 2009 by .

The Orange Julep is as good as it gets in terms of roadside attractions and world-famous beverages. Built more than 60 years ago by Harmas Gibeau, a man who dreamed of living in a giant three-storey orange with his wife and kids, the Orange Julep has become a real Montreal institution, serving what is in my opinion the most luscious, sweet and creamy delicacy in the history of orange juice. Do yourself a favour and read on!

Built just off the Decarie Expressway, the Orange Julep is one of my favourite secret hangouts in Montreal for a many reasons:

1) It’s the only place I allow myself to believe I’m in the movie Grease.

2) It’s simple and old-school. You order outside, you eat in your car or at the picnic table.

5) Looking at the big orange dome and thinking there’s a man who wanted to raise his kids in there makes me smile.

6) I’m a sucker for Orange Julep beverages.

As I sat in my car, sipping on my heavenly julep, I tried to put words on what my taste buds were experiencing. It’s sugary, it’s foamy, it’s frothy… Damn it’s good! Yet, Gibeau’s juleps are nutritious, contain a significant dose of vitamin C, 0g of fat and only 96 calories per 250 ml. How do they create this mysterious wonder?

Now being the curious person that I am, I obviously tried to get the 411 on the secret Orange Julep family recipe. I tried, but they wouldn’t crack. Unfortunately, it seems I’ll need to hire James Bond to uncover this mystery.

Interestingly enough, you’ll notice in THIS PICTURE that the juice is served from a big container, which is piped down from the top of the orange! You have to love Gibeau for that – and for the 1-liter cartons of juice that you can bring back home to make some of these yummy ORANGE JULEP-BASED RECIPES.

And don’t forget, the Orange Julep also means banana splits, cheeseburgers and poutine, so unless you’re only going for the OJ, leave the diet at home!

Saturday. 6 pm. I just discovered the most amazing place for martinis in Montreal!!! Three words: Ateliers et Saveurs! This is a place where you can learn to make cocktails from a professional mixologist...